About
Large mid-pink flowers up to 9cm across are borne from midsummer to late autumn, followed by oblong yellow fruits. A fast-growing evergreen climber to 5m in height with three slightly downy oval mid-green leaflets with heart-shaped bases making up each leaf. The pulp in the fruits only can be eaten when they are fully ripe and yellow-orange. Unripe fruit is toxic.
About the genus
Passiflora are mostly tender tendril-climbing shrubs, with simple or palmately-lobed, generally evergreen leaves and showy flowers of distinctive structure with often colourful coronal filaments, followed by conspicuous fruits, edible in some species
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeLoam
Soil pHNeutral, Alkaline, Acid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, West-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH2
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageEvergreen
Height4-8 metres
Spread1.5-2.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesMixed borders, hedging, foundation planting.
ToxicityFruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationPlant in a greenhouse border or in large pots of peat-free, loam-based compost with bright light, but not direct sun. Water sparingly in winter, but freely in summer and liquid feed once a month with a balanced fertiliser
PruningPruning group 11 or 12, if necessary, in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed at 13-18°C in spring, take semi-ripe cuttings in summer or layer in spring or autumn
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly, mealybugs and scale insects
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and a virus